Autonomy Engineer, Ops Research (Senior - Principal)

Job description

Space is a warfighting domain. True Anomaly seeks those with the talent and ambition to build the technology that secures it. OUR MISSION True Anomaly delivers decisive capabilities for space superiority. We build autonomous spacecraft, advanced payloads, mission software, and space-based interceptors — enabling the U.S. and its Allies to secure the space environment and counter threats from the ultimate high ground. OUR VALUES Be the offset. We create asymmetric advantages with creativity and ingenuity. What would it take? We challenge assumptions to deliver ambitious results. It’s the people. Our team is our competitive advantage and we are better together. BENEFITS & PERKS * Best-in-class healthcare: 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents, with HSA/HRA options Generous time off: Flexible Time Off (FTO) for exempt employees, accrued PTO of up to 25 days for non-exempt employees, plus 12 paid holidays; Parental Leave; Sick Leave Fuel for your day: Daily catered lunch and unlimited snacks for in-office employees And more: 401(k) retirement plan, fitness reimbursement, and Dog Fridays Equity participation: Equity is included as part of our total compensation package, giving you an opportunity to share in the company’s success. *Do not apply to fixed term and temporary roles YOUR MISSION As a member of the Applied Algorithms and Autonomy team, you will design, build, and deploy core autonomy capabilities for True Anomaly. You will work with a talented cross-functional team to advance technology at the intersection of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and classical optimization. This will involve hands-on development across various areas including fleet scheduling, vehicle autonomy, mission planning, wargaming, threat assessment, and uncooperative RPO capabilities. You are a first principles engineer who takes ownership of the systems you build and delivers results.  RESPONSIBILITIES Design, implement, and validate optimization algorithms for fleet-level mission planning, resource allocation, and sequential decision-making under uncertainty Contribute to system architecture for large-scale distributed optimization problems, informed by statistical modeling, simulation-based analysis, and operational constraints Collaborate with cross-functional teams to formalize stakeholder requirements into mathematical programs and deploy scalable solutions Tune and validate optimization models through simulation, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and operational deployment Develop production-quality implementations with rigorous documentation and testing  QUALIFICATIONS Bachelor's degree in operations research, applied mathematics, computer science, aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, or related quantitative discipline, plus 8-11 years of experience; or a Master's degree in one of these fields with 6 years of experience; or a PhD with 3 years of experience. Proficient in C/C++ and Python for implementing optimization solvers and numerical methods Strong expertise in at least one domain: Adversarial optimization: game theory, Nash equilibria, minimax optimization, sequential games, adversarial search Mathematical programming: model predictive control, trajectory optimization, dynamic programming, stochastic control, mixed-integer programming, convex optimization Statistical learning: reinforcement learning, online learning, classification/regression under uncertainty, anomaly detection, predictive modeling Distributed optimization: fleet coordination, consensus protocols, multi-agent resource allocation, network flow optimization, decentralized control Solid foundation in probability theory, optimization, and stochastic decision processes 4+ years implementing and deploying optimization algorithms in operational systems with real-world constraints Demonstrated ability to formulate complex problems as tractable mathematical programs and collaborate across disciplines Passion for space operations and advancing capabilities in space domain awareness  PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE Master's or PhD in operations research, applied mathematics, computer science, aerospace engineering, or related discipline Experience with high-performance numerical computing and production-grade solver implementations Familiarity with edge computing constraints and real-time optimization under latency bounds Background in astrodynamics, orbital mechanics, or spacecraft operations Experience with Bayesian inference, state estimation (Kalman filtering, particle methods), and planning under partial observability Track record in verification/validation of mission-critical optimization systems Understanding of how game-theoretic, optimization, and learning-based approaches compose for robust decision-making COMPENSATION Base Salary: $180,000 - $360,000 Equity + Benefits including Health, Dental, Vision, HRA/HSA options, PTO and paid holidays, 401K, Parental Leave Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, location, and experience. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS Work Location —this is a fully onsite role. Candidates must be based in or able to commute to our Denver or Long Beach office daily. Work environment —the work environment; temperature, noise level, inside or outside, or other factors that will affect the person's working conditions while performing the job. Physical demands —the physical demands of the job, including bending, sitting, lifting and driving. This position will be open until it is successfully filled. To submit your application, please follow the directions below. #LI-Onsite To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. True Anomaly is committed to equal employment opportunity on any basis protected by applicable state and federal laws. If you have a disability or additional need that requires accommodation, please do not hesitate to let us know.